Tuesday, October 28, 2014

I want to
take a moment to share my recommendations with you on very
important contests on your ballot for the Supreme Court.

Election
statistics show that over 20% of voters skip the judicial races on their
ballots. As someone who works in our courtrooms every day, I know it is
critical to have the right men and women leading our judicial system. It is
vitally important to our system that we elect highly qualified people to our
courts. This year the answers are very clear. These are the candidates I
support.

Supreme
Court, Pos. 1 – Mary Yu

Appointed
to the Supreme Court by Governor Inslee in May to replace retiring Justice Jim
Johnson, Justice Yu has shown herself to be dedicated to improving access to
justice and protecting individual rights for all. She served for 14 years as a
highly respected Superior Court judge, where she was known for treating every
case and every litigant with respect and fairness, and understanding that
each decision a judge makes impacts someone’s life while paying careful
attention to the law. Justice Yu received the highest possible rating -
Exceptionally Well Qualified - from all six bar associations that rated her.
She is running unopposed.

Supreme
Court, Pos. 3 – Mary Fairhurst

Justice
Fairhurst has served on our Supreme Court with distinction for 12 years. As a
Justice, she is a champion of fairness and judicial independence. During her
tenure, she’s worked to improve access to justice, and make the court more
efficient and transparent. Justice Fairhurst is endorsed by over 100 current
and retired judges, political and civic leaders, business and labor, law
enforcement, firefighters, teachers, Democrats, Independents, Republicans and
many more. She is running unopposed.

Supreme
Court, Pos. 4 – Charles W. Johnson

Justice
Charles Johnson has a 24-year record that shows a commitment to our rights and
freedoms. He has been a strong supporter individual privacy and holding
government accountable. All of the bar associations have rated Justice Johnson
"exceptionally well qualified." His proven experience, fairness and
impartiality are reflected by the diversity of organizations supporting him,
including: State Council of Fire Fighters; State Patrol Troopers; King, Pierce,
and Snohomish County Democrats; Mainstream Republicans; State Labor Council;
State Association of Realtors; Aerospace Machinists 751; Federation of State
Employees; and other groups and individuals statewide. Justice Johnson is being
challenged by Eddie Yoon, who has been teaching outside of the country for
about 15 years. This is a clear choice.

Supreme
Court, Pos. 7 – Debra L. Stephens

Our other
contested race is this one. Justice Stephens is the easy and overwhelming
choice. Since her appointment in 2008, Justice Stephens has been dedicated to
serving the people of our state and upholding the rule of law. As a longtime
constitutional law professor, she respects legal traditions, and works every
day to maintain the independence of our judiciary. She is widely regarded as
one of the brightest legal minds our court has seen in recent times, and
is supported by prominent leaders in government, education, and business; law
enforcement, firefighters, labor unions, judges, and lawyers. Justice Stephens
is rated “exceptionally well qualified,” by all of the statewide bar
organizations. Her opponent, John Scannell, is disbarred for unethical conduct,
and is considered ineligible to serve. We cannot embarrass the process
and allow him to somehow make a good showing.

I hope you
have found this information helpful. I believe strongly that every client who
walks in our door seeking a chance for justice through the courts should have a
fair shot. We depend on these public servants to make sure our rights are
protected. The outcome of this election will have a huge impact on our civil
justice system. I am confident that these candidates will fight to protect all
of our rights.

Feel free
to share this with family and friends. Regardless of your views on these races,
please vote by November 4th. It is important to have
your voice heard in our electoral process.